Mexican Sports Facts
Sports within Mexico range from the common to others that most people have never heard of. The diversity of sports within Mexico is as vast as the culture. Rodeos, bullfights, wrestling and boxing make up some of the sports that dominate many people's lives within this historic country.
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Charreria
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Charreria--a sport showcasing distinctive horsemanship styles--is Mexico's national sport. This sport was a forerunner of the Mexican rodeo, which is also referred to as "charreada." The contemporary rodeo differs from charreria in that the former is an individual sport, while charreria is a team sport. Various parts compose the entire charreada event, including events like the "Test of the Horse," "Roping of the Feet," and Bullriding events.
Soccer
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Soccer, which is also known as "futbol" in Mexico, is one of the most popular sports in the country. Soccer is a game wherein the players move the ball towards a goal on the opposite side of the field, while the rival team tries to steal the ball and prevent it from reaching the other team's goal. The FIFA World Cup, the world's most watched soccer event, has been hosted by Mexico twice. Mexico has also reached the tournament's playoff stage twice throughout the event's history.
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Bullfighting
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In Mexico, bullfighting is similar to the Spanish style of bullfighting, having been influenced during the Spanish occupation of Mexico. Bullfighting is also known as "fiesta brava," and has been very popular in Mexico for around 400 years already. A bullfighting event includes rodeos, pig chases and dances before the main bullfighting event starts.
Lucha Libre
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Lucha libre is the name given to Mexican professional wrestling. This sport is characterized by a succession of holds and moves in rapid action, together with impressive high-flying tactics that wow the audience. Mexico has two popular lucha libre events---the "Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre," and "Asistencia Asesoría y Administración."
Boxing
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Boxing still ranks as one of the more well-known sports in Mexico. The country holds second place to the U.S. in the total number of boxing world champions produced, making it a country of high esteem in the boxing field. Many of Mexico's biggest matches come with Puerto Ricans--long considered to be a country that also produces great boxers.
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References
- Photo Credit soccer ball image by Mitchell Knapton from Fotolia.com
